


Summertime Fun

by MackenzieW



Series: A Happy Beginning Now is Ours [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff and Smut, OQ Happy Ending Week, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 04:29:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15259479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MackenzieW/pseuds/MackenzieW
Summary: Set in the Second Chance, Best Chance verse. It's the summer and Regina plans a fun family trip to the beach while Robin plans for a way for them to wind down afterwards.





	Summertime Fun

**Author's Note:**

  * For [audreyslove](https://archiveofourown.org/users/audreyslove/gifts).



> For OQ Happy Ending Week Day 3--I'm using the Wild Card for this one. 
> 
> This is also for Lisa, who requested some Second Chance, Best Chance family feels ages ago and I'm finally delivering. I'm sorry for the delay and I hope you like it!

_“Happily ever after, or even just together ever after, is not cheesy,” Wren said. “It’s the noblest, like, the most courageous thing two people can shoot for.”—Fangirl, Rainbow Rowell_

* * *

Regina crept into her bedroom, smiling at the sight of her boyfriend still asleep in their bed. He lay on his side, all wrapped up in their blankets, and looked adorable with the small smile on his face. She almost hated to wake him but they had important plans for that day, so she had no choice.

She approached his side of the bed, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Good morning," she whispered in his ear.

He moaned, rolling onto his back as the blankets slid down to reveal his bare chest. Though he was facing her, his eyes were still closed and his breathing even, which meant he was still asleep. She shook him gently, fingers rubbing against his bare skin. "Come on, Robin, time to wake up."

"Five more minutes," he said, accent thicker from sleep. Though his eyes stayed closed, his breathing had changed so she knew he wasn't falling back asleep. It was now just getting him out of bed and she bit her lip as an idea came to her.

She crouched next to the bed, leaning close enough to whisper: "I'm not wearing any clothes."

Robin sat up, his eyes wide. He turned to look at her and disappointment filled his eyes before it was replaced with annoyance. "That was cruel."

Kissing his jaw, she said: "I'll make it up to you later."

"Promise?" he asked, eyes narrowing a bit.

"Promise," she echoed before stepping back. "But first, we have a big day ahead of us so I need you to get dressed and then help me with the kids. They currently outnumber us."

He nodded, rubbing his face. "Right, right. Okay. I'll be out in a few minutes."

She kissed his cheek. "Thank you. And don't forget your bathing suit."

"I won't," he told her, pushing the blankets back to climb out of bed. She watched as he padded over to their bathroom and once the door closed, she turned to head out of the bedroom.

The first door she came to was the guest bedroom and she opened the door, tiptoeing inside. Roland was curled up in the big bed, his dark curls splayed out over the pillow. Marian had dropped him off for the four weeks Robin got him in the summer and so they had planned a beach outing to celebrate him being there with them. While they had done a lot of things together as a family with him and he only lived a half hour away with his mother, it was still always special to have Roland with them.

She knelt beside the bed and shook him gently. "Roland, it's time to wake up."

He groaned before his eyes fluttered opened. Roland smiled when he saw her. "Good morning, Aunt Regina."

"Morning, sweetheart," she said with a smile. "It's time to get ready for our big surprise."

He sat up, pushing his blankets back. "Cool. Do I have to wear something special?"

She nodded. "A bathing suit."

Roland gasped, his eyes wide. "Are we going to the beach?"

"Yes, we are," she replied. "So you need to get dressed."

"I'll help him with that," Robin said, leaning against the door as he crossed his arms. He wore a bright blue t-shirt paired with khaki shorts, sandals on his feet.

Roland frowned. "Why aren't you wearing a bathing suit, Papa?"

"I am," Robin assured him. He lifted his shirt and then lowered the waist of his shorts to reveal his forest green swim trunks underneath. "See?"

"Oh. Can I wear my bathing suit under my clothes too?" Roland asked.

His father chuckled, nodding. "That's the plan. Come on, let's go find the perfect outfit to go with your bathing suit."

As they dug through the clothes Roland kept at their house, Regina left to go check on her other children. She opened the door to find Henry awake and reading in bed. "It's time to get dressed, sweetheart. We're going to the beach."

Henry gasped and threw his comic book to the side as he hopped out of bed. "Really, Mom? Can Regan go to the beach?"

"Can I?" her daughter echoed from the door. Regina turned around to find Regan standing there, her hazel eyes wide as she looked up at her mother. "Is it okay?"

Regina nodded. "I talked it over with Dr. Whale and he agreed you can go. So you two need to change into bathing suits as well as regular clothes."

Both cheered and then Regan ran back to her room as Henry skipped over to his dresser. Regina leaned against it. "Do you need any help, sweetheart?"

"No," he replied. "I think I'll be fine."

She nodded, feeling her heart constrict at the thought her baby was growing up. "Okay. I'll go check on your sister then."

Regina headed next door, where she found Regan in her bathing suit bottom but struggling with the top. She looked at her mother with relief. "Can you tie this for me, Mom?"

"Of course," she said, feeling useful as she tied the strings of the halter-style blue top behind Regan's neck. "Do you also want me to brush your hair?"

Regan nodded. "Can you braid it, please?"

"I can, sweetheart," she said. "But first, we need to put something over the bathing suit. Do you want a shirt and shorts? Shirt and skirt? Dress?"

"Sundress!" Regan replied, eyes lighting up. "The yellow one please. It reminds me of the sunflowers."

She pointed to the wall where Robin had painted several large sunflowers so she could always have her favorite flowers with her. Regina grinned as she went to the closet, happily pulling the dress from there. It was good to see Regan with so much energy again. She once again thanked whoever made sure Robin was a match for the bone marrow transplant and that all the treatments had worked so that Regan could be a happy, healthy, normal almost seven-year-old again.

Once the sundress was on, Regina brushed Regan's hair. It was growing out again now that the chemotherapy was over and her curls were getting thicker. Though it was always a battle, Regina managed to get them into a braid, which she fastened off with a ponytail holder. She clipped a yellow bow into her daughter's hair and smiled. "How does that look?"

"Perfect, Mommy, thank you!" Regan turned around and hugged her.

Regina held onto her daughter for a few moments longer before leaning back to look down at her. "Come on. Let's see how your Papa is doing with the boys."

She took Regan's hand and they headed out into the hallway just as Robin stepped out of Henry's room with both boys in tow. Roland wore a white shirt with orange sleeves that had Nemo from Finding Nemo on the front, which matched the swim shorts he wore. Henry, meanwhile, had chosen to wear his Captain America t-shirt and khaki shorts--just like Robin--and she figured his bathing suit was under the shorts, just like Robin’s.

"Okay, let's get sandals on and then we'll head out to Granny's for breakfast. Then it's off to the beach for us," Regina declared. They all cheered and the children raced down the stairs.

Robin hung back, wrapping his arm around Regina's waist as he smiled. "I think today is going to be a great day. I'm glad our family can spend it together."

"Me too," she said, leaning against him. "I'm glad we can do normal things with Regan again. It's time we all got back to living."

He nodded. "I like that."

"Mom? Papa? Are you coming?" Regan called up the stairs, sounding impatient.

They chuckled before Robin called down: "On our way."

He then turned to Regina, holding out his hand to her. "Shall we, milady?"

"We shall," she said, taking his hand as they headed downstairs to join their children together.

* * *

Robin parked his SUV in the beach parking lot, finally finding a spot several rows away from the entrance to the beach. He frowned as he turned off the car. "Looks like everyone else had the same idea as us."

"Yeah," Regina replied, opening her door. "But as long as we get a spot, we'll have fun. Right, guys?"

She glanced in the back seat where the children were still strapped in. All three nodded happily as they unbuckled themselves. "I just want room to build a sandcastle!" Roland said.

"I want to bury Henry!" Regan said. "So we're going to need lots of room!"

Henry grew indignant. "I'm not that big! We don't need that much space to bury me."

The two adults shared a look before sighing. Regina turned back to her children. "We'll find enough room for you all to do whatever you want."

"And don't forget we'll probably also be swimming a lot," Robin reminded them. "Now, let's get out of the car and hit that beach!"

"AFTER we put on our sunscreen," she said, giving him a pointed look. Chastised, Robin nodded and repeated her statement.

They worked together to get sunscreen on all the children before Robin handed them their beach chairs. He also handed them a bag of beach toys for them to carry before he gathered up the larger chairs and the umbrella Regina owned. She grabbed her beach bag as well as the picnic basket she had packed before they ushered their brood toward the beach entrance, where rows and rows of beachgoers and umbrellas greeted them.

Sweat trickled down Regina's neck as they navigated around beach chairs, towels and toys to find a free spot big enough for their family of five. Robin planted their umbrella in the sand as if an explorer claiming land for his country. He and Regina set up the chairs around it and she placed her bag and basket down under it.

"Okay, your father and I just have to get our sunscreen on and then we'll have plenty of fun," she told the children. They nodded, happily unpacking their toys to start playing in the sand.

She watched as Robin took off his shorts and then removed his t-shirt, revealing his strong and toned chest. Regina admired his physique as he tucked his clothing into her bag and once he straightened up, she finally removed her own sundress to reveal her bikini. She watched his reaction and though his eyes were hidden by dark sunglasses, she watched as he swallowed and licked his lips. It sent a proud thrill through her and she was pleased her strapless white bikini had drawn such a response from him. She definitely was glad she had decided to purchase it.

Regina pulled out the bottle of sunscreen and squirted some of the white liquid onto her palm. She then gave some to Robin and they quickly covered every inch they could reach with sunscreen. As she finished with her legs, she felt his strong hands on her back and the cool liquid against her skin. His fingers deftly rubbed the sunscreen into her skin as she straightened up, leaning into his touch. For a few moments, she closed her eyes and imagined what those fingers could do to her that night once they were back in bed together, especially as his fingers dipped into the gold rings on her bikini bottoms to cover the skin they revealed. He was too close to her sex and she felt her body start to respond accordingly, anticipating his fingers lower.

He pulled his hands away in time for her to reign in her thoughts. She did not need to get turned on at the beach, surrounded by not only their children but nearly everyone else in the state of Maine. They would have plenty of time for that when they got home. She just had to be patient.

Too bad patience wasn't her strong point.

"Here," Robin said, holding out the bottle to her. "Can you get my back?"

She nodded, taking the bottle and squeezing more white liquid onto her palm. "Can you sit on the chair so I can reach easier?"

"Of course," he said, plopping down on the lounge chair as she rubbed the lotion over her palms. She then spread it out over his strong back, feeling his muscles move under her hands. There was a larger expanse for her to work with and she made sure to cover everything, as she took in her handsome boyfriend. Unable to help herself, she even ran her hands over his shoulders and his well-toned arms as her thoughts turned back to that night.

Robin tilted his head back and smiled so bright, she knew his eyes were shining behind his shades. "Thank you, love."

"Thank you as well," she said, leaning down to kiss him as his hair tickled her shoulder.

"Mom," Regan whined, "Papa, are you going to kiss each other all day or are we going to go swimming?"

They chuckled as they parted and Robin jumped up, clapping his hands as he smiled at the children. "I think swimming sounds perfect. Is everyone ready to go to the water?"

"Not yet," Regina said, pulling out Roland's little vest. She held it out to him and he placed his arms through the appropriate holes, standing still as she buckled him up. She gave the buckles a tug as she smiled at him. "There. Now we're all ready."

Robin took off his sunglasses and placed them in her bag. He then held out his hands to the children. "Who wants to walk with me down to the water?"

Henry and Regan immediately grabbed his hands, smiling up at him. Regina felt a little hand grab hers and she looked down to find Roland looking up at her. "Can I walk with you, Aunt Regina?"

"Of course," she replied, gently bopping his nose.

Regan held out her hand to him. "Here, Roland. You can hold my hand as well."

He took it eagerly and the five of them headed down to the beach, though they had to maneuver around all the obstacles in their way. They never broke their hold, though, and arrived at the water together. Waves lapped at their feet and the water was warm, though there was a refreshing chill present. Moving forward, they waded into the water as their bodies adjusted to the temperature change and they bobbed with the waves.

Cheering, Henry and Regan let go of their father's hands and waded out until they had to tread water. It wasn't too far away from them, allowing Robin and Regina to keep an eye on them as Roland played in the water in front of them. Robin wrapped his arm around her, pulling her against him. "This was a great idea."

"I'm known to have them occasionally," she joked, relaxing in his embrace.

He kissed her neck. "You have them all the time."

"Damn right I do," she said, rubbing the arm he had wrapped around her waist as their children continued to play.

Roland froze and both tensed, wondering what happened. Fear filled his eyes as he looked up at them. "Are there sharks in the water?"

"No, sweetheart," she replied, confused. "The water is very safe."

He nodded, relief replacing the fear in his eyes. "Good. I don't want anyone to get eaten."

Robin frowned, tilting his head as he asked the same question bouncing around her head. "Why do you think someone would get eaten?"

"I was over at my friend Jimmy's house and his brothers were watching a movie where this shark was attacking people as they swam in the ocean," he said. "It scared me."

They shared a look and Regina knew Robin was making a note to tell Marian to have a discussion with Jimmy's parents about appropriate movies for their son. For now, though, she smiled. "Well, now that you know there are no sharks, what do you want to do?"

Roland tapped his chin with his finger as he thought it over. After a few moments, he smiled and asked: "Can we play Marco Polo?"

"Okay," she said, laughing, "but we just have to be careful of everyone else in the water, okay?"

He nodded before turning to Henry and Regan. "Do you want to play Marco Polo with us?"

"Sure," Regan said, wading back over to them with Henry behind her. "Who's it?"

"I am!" Roland exclaimed, raising his hand and practically jumping out of the water.

They all chuckled and Robin gently held his son down so he didn't splash them. "Okay. Then you need to close your eyes while I spin you."

Roland did as instructed and Robin turned him around as Henry and Regan counted to five. Once released by his father, Roland held out his hands and started trying to feel for them. "Marco!"

"Polo!" they chorused, trying to move around him. They repeated the call and response as they waded through the refreshing water, careful to avoid the other swimmers as they played their game. Laughter rang out as Roland latched onto his sister, making Regan "it" next.

She happily closed her eyes and let Robin spin her before she started calling out: "Marco!"

"Polo!" Regina shouted, jumping out of the way of her daughter. She collided with a hard body, which made her panic. Regina was about to turn around to apologize when a strong arm wrapped around her. Lips pressed against her neck and she realized she had backed into Robin. She relaxed against him.

He nuzzled her. "Are you having fun, sweetheart?"

"Yes," she whispered, smiling as she watched Regan bounce between her brothers as they stayed just out of her reach. "It looks like the children are having fun too."

Robin hummed. "I am as well. We all needed this little family outing."

She nodded. "I wanted to welcome Roland to his time with us with something fun and relaxing. I'm glad this worked out."

"Me too," he said, before pulling her away just before Regan's hands touched her. The girl frowned, turned around and headed back toward Henry.

Robin chuckled, the sound vibrating against her back as his arm tightened around her. "Almost caught, love."

"Almost," she whispered, "but saved in the nick of time."

He grinned at her. "I try."

Regina rose up on her tiptoes, kissing him. He responded, slipping in a little tongue while the children were distracted. For the millionth time since New Year's, she thanked whatever higher power brought Robin back into her life and showed her that she could be happy and loved again.

Two wet little hands landed on her stomach and she heard Regan exclaim: "Gotch...Eww. Mom! Papa! Stop it!"

Breaking the kiss, Regina looked down to see her daughter staring up at them with her nose scrunched up. Regan crossed her arms. "We're in public."

"Oh? I'm not allowed to kiss your mother in public?" Robin asked, trying to be serious but clearly teasing her. "I can't show everyone how much I love her?"

Regan's expression didn't change. "That's what hugs and hand holding is for. And quick kisses. Not...that. That was gross."

"Yeah," Roland echoed, mimicking his sister's expression. Henry didn't chime in and Regina could see that he didn't quite agree with his siblings but probably couldn't voice why properly, so he remained silent.

"Well, I guess we can try not to kiss like that around you or others but it's going to be difficult. I really like kissing your mother and she's really good at it," Robin continued, gently teasing their daughter.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just how about you two promise not to kiss like that for the rest of the afternoon?"

Robin glanced down at Regina, who shrugged. She found herself getting excited at the thought of sneaking kisses from him when the children weren't watching and judging by the mischievous gleam in his blue eyes, he was thinking the same thing. "Fine. We won't kiss like that in front of you for the rest of the afternoon."

"Good," Regan said, pleased. She then looked up at Regina. "I caught you, Mom. It's your turn."

"She's right. Close your eyes, Regina," Robin told her, grinning.

Sighing, she did just that. He gently spun her a few times before his hands let go of her. She felt a little dizzy but she was able to move pretty easily, arms outstretched as she called out: "Marco!"

"Polo!" they all chorused. Roland sounded the closest, just to her right. She lurched through the water, reaching for someone but connecting with air as giggles came from all around her.

"Marco," she called out again.

After a fresh round of giggles, she got her response: "Polo!"

This time, Robin's distinctive accent rumbled close to her ear. She wondered if he was teasing her or trying to make it easy for her to catch him. Neither option impressed her and she reached away from him, deciding to try to find one of the children instead.

"Marco!" she called out again.

"Polo!" Henry's voice was the loudest and her hands closed on his arms. She opened her eyes to see her son's annoyed expression as she said: "Got you."

Roland and Regan laughed as Henry sighed. "Fine. I'll close my eyes."

"I'll give you a spin then," Robin said, grabbing the boy gently by the shoulders. He spun him a few times and let Henry loose to find the next person to be it, wading closer to Regina.

He leaned against her, whispering: "I know you purposefully swam away from me earlier."

"I didn't need your help," she whispered back. "I can play Marco Polo just fine on my own."

"I know you can. I just can't stay away from you," he said before yelping, jumping out of the water.

Henry stood there, grinning like a madman. "Got you, Papa."

"Yes, you did," Robin said breathlessly. He then glared at Regina, though it carried no real heat. "I blame your mother."

She threw up her hands in the surrender position. "You're the one who felt the need to talk to me. You could've kept moving."

"Ooh," the children said, smiling at the banter between their parents.

A mischievous look came to his eyes and he wrapped his arm around her. "Do you want to play this game, milady?"

"You wouldn't dare, Robin Locksley," she said, growing nervous over what he would do to her.

"Oh? Wouldn't I?" he asked, grinning like a madman.

Before she could protest, he fell backwards into the water and pulled her down with him. Chilled water washed over them as she held her breath, pressed against Robin. They broke the surface and she sputtered, spitting out some water she had almost swallowed when he pulled her down. She splashed him. "Jerk."

"Little ears," he told her, motioning to the children.

She splashed him again.

"Well, if that's how you are going to play it," he said, wiping some excess water from his face, "then it is war."

Before she could process what he was saying, Robin sent a big splash of water cascading over her. Her hair clung to her face and she pulled it off as she sputtered, glaring at him. If it was a war he wanted, then it was a war he would get. "That was a big mistake, Locksley."

She started to splash him as he countered her, water flying everywhere as they tried to keep their battle away from the other beachgoers. The children were caught in the splash zone but they didn't mind. Instead, they started splashing their parents as well, trying to get everyone soaking wet as they laughed together.

Regina didn't know when, but the splash war became less about vengeance and more about fun. It ended with her and Robin dunking all three children before ushering them out of the water, everyone sopping wet and with sore arms but very happy.

It was a perfect morning.

* * *

The sunset over the ocean as Robin put down a towel in the backseat. While they had washed the sand from the children's arms, legs and feet, Regina had no doubt that they were still bringing half the beach home with them. Henry had spent part of the afternoon happily buried in the cool sand and after Regan had done that, she had went to help Roland with the sandcastle he was building with their father. They spent some more time in the water before searching the sand as the tide rolled out for seashells and sea glass. Regina expected a lot of sand to end up on the towel by the time they got home.

After they buckled in all the children, Robin and Regina got into their seats and joined the line of cars leaving the parking lot. The children chatted excitedly about their time at the beach, though their voices grew softer and softer. By the time they got out of the lot, the car was silent. Regina glanced toward the back, smiling when she found all three children sound asleep there. "Looks like they got tired out from all that fun," she said.

"Yep," he said. "You can rest too if you want. I'm driving after all."

It was tempting but she shook her head. "I'll keep you company and then we can get plenty of sleep tonight."

"I was hoping we could do something else in bed," he said, wiggling his eyebrows at her. He smirked as well. “Someone promised.”

She rolled her eyes before wincing, recalling that she had made such a promise to him earlier. "Can you take a raincheck? I really don’t have that much energy. Do you?"

"Not really," he admitted, the smirk falling away. "Maybe we can just cuddle on the couch."

"That sounds perfect," she said, resting her head against the window as they lapsed into a comfortable silence.

She was almost lulled into sleep by the motion of the car when Robin said: "Thank you for doing this to welcome Roland and for making him so comfortable while he stays with us. It means the world to me."

"You don't have to thank me. Roland is part of this family," she told him, resting her hand on his arm. She smiled. "Besides, I love when he stays with us. He's a sweet boy and a great cuddler."

Robin grinned. "Thank you. I’d like to think he gets that from me."

"He definitely gets it from you,” she agreed. “Just lie his charm and those dimples. They are so adorable, they are almost lethal."

He laughed. "They are, aren't they?"

"So are Regan's. Both your children got your dimples."

"It seems so," he said, growing thoughtful. "Do you think all my children would get them?"

Her heart beat faster at the way he worded his question. "Do you want more children?"

"I wouldn't mind at least one more," he said, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. He appeared nervous as he asked: "What about you? Do you want more children?"

Regina felt her mouth grow dry as she considered the question. It still seemed too early in their relationship to be considering it and so she hadn't thought about it. She and Daniel had agreed that Regan and Henry had been more than enough for them, so they never had any more children. Now that she also had Roland, even part time, three seemed enough for her. However, she had to admit that the idea of experiencing a pregnancy with Robin by her side this time did appeal to her.

He reached over and squeezed her knee when she had been silent for some time. "It's okay if you don't. I'm happy with our three."

"I don't know if I want more," she admitted softly. "I think I need time to think about it, Robin."

"That's okay. I'm not expecting you to make a decision now or for us to try for a baby right away. If we decide we want more, we can then decide when," he told her.

She smiled at him, loving him even more for how understanding he was. "Thank you."

Robin took the exit heading toward Storybrooke, flipping on the headlights as it grew darker around them. "Do you want me to stop at Granny's so we can grab some food? That way you don’t have to cook?"

"That sounds like a plan," she said, glancing back toward the children. "However, I think they may be out for the count."

He chuckled. "Well, we'll still pick something up for them and just refrigerate it if they just go straight to bed."

"I'm already sold. Are you running in or should I?" she asked, sitting up straighter as she prepared to get out of the car.

"I'll go," he replied as he pulled into Granny's parking lot. He unbuckled his seatbelt as he smiled at her. "You just rest."

Relieved, she leaned closer and kissed him. "Don't take too long."

He promised he wouldn't and as he ran into Granny's, she sat back against the car seat with a sigh. She smiled, happy and content with her life. Regina didn't know what the future held for her and for the first time in a long time, it didn’t scare her because she knew she would have Robin.

* * *

The children nearly fell asleep several times as they ate their dinner but they managed to get most of their meals down before Regina decided to send them to bed. All three were corralled into the shower so she could wash away the last traces of sand from the beach, deciding they could get proper baths in the morning. To her surprise, Roland clung to her rather than his father and so she left Robin in charge of the older two as she carried Roland back to his room. Regina easily changed him into his pajamas before tucking him into his bed, kissing his forehead. "Goodnight, sweetheart," she whispered.

"Goodnight," he said, yawning through most of the word. He then looked up at her with sleepy brown eyes. "Aunt Regina? Thanks for letting me stay here. I love being with everyone."

Her smiled widened. "We all love having you here, Roland. We're family and so you are always welcomed here. I love you."

"Love you too," he murmured, already half asleep. She kissed his forehead again and then tiptoed out of the room, letting him get his sleep.

Robin was waiting for her once she got into the hallway. He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. "Henry wanted you to kiss him goodnight but is probably already out cold. Regan wants you to help her change into her pajamas and brush her hair."

She nodded, kissing his cheek. "Okay. Why don't you go shower?"

"Is that your way of telling me I smell?" he asked teasingly. He still smelled like the beach—saltwater, sand and sunscreen—and while it wasn’t his usual pine scent, she did like it.

"You know I'm blunter than that," she replied, leaning against him as she grinned. "I just imagine you have sand in some uncomfortable places. I know I do."

He smirked and his eyes sparked. "So will you be joining me in said shower?"

"Maybe," she teased, kissing under his jaw. "But you have to get in it first to find out."

"Fair enough. Besides, you should go before Regan falls asleep in just the towel," he reminded her, gently pushing her away from him. He kissed her nose before heading down the hall to their bathroom.

Regina headed toward Regan's room, finding her daughter sitting bleary-eyed on the bed. She smiled as she approached her. "You ready to get changed for bed?"

"Yeah," Regan said, nodding absentmindedly. She hopped off the bed and let Regina give her one last rub down with her towel before putting on her underwear. Regina then pulled the soft pink nightgown over her daughter's head and made sure it covered her little body.

After a big yawn, Regan handed Regina her brush. "Can you brush my hair?"

"Of course," Regina replied, sitting down on the bed and pulling her daughter close to her. "Do you want me to braid it again?"

Regan shook her head. "Just brush it, please. I don't think I can stay awake for you to braid it."

Her comment made Regina chuckle as she started to brush out the tangles in her daughter's curls. "We definitely had a busy day, didn't we?"

"Yeah. But it was fun," Regan said, smiling sleepily.

"It was," Regina agreed. "What was your favorite part?"

She was not surprised when Regan answered: "Burying Henry in the sand! It was so funny just to see his head sticking out."

"Yes, it was. And I think your brother enjoyed it too," Regina said, pleased that the brush was now running through Regan's hair with little resistance.

Regan nodded. "But I most enjoyed us all being together, with Roland. It's nice to be a family together."

Her words melted her mother's heart. "It is. And we’re going to have many more adventures together while he’s with us. You up for that?"

"I am." Regan turned around and hugged her. "I love you, Mommy."

Regina held her close. "I love you too. Now, get into bed. You need to get some sleep."

The little girl nodded and laid down in her bed. Regina tucked her in before kissing her forehead. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Is Papa going to come read to me?" she asked, curling her fingers around her blankets.

Regina shook her head. "Papa is taking a shower himself. He'll read to you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," Regan said, voice fading as her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Once she was certain her daughter was asleep, Regina crept out of the room and went to check on Henry. He was sound asleep, laying splayed across his bed with his blankets pushed to his feet. She covered him again, kissing his forehead. "Sweet dreams, sweetheart."

Regina then made a bee line for the bathroom, opening the door and letting out some steam. She heard the water running and saw Robin's form behind the fogged-up glass. It appeared he was washing himself and she bit her lip as she shed her clothes, eager to join him.

"Can you lower the temperature a bit?" she asked, opening the door and jumping into the hot shower stall. "It's like a sauna in here."

He chuckled as he wiped some water from his eyes, slicking back his hair. "I was starting to think you were never going to join me."

"It took a bit longer with Regan than I anticipated," she said, reaching around him to adjust the cold water to cool everything down. "You owe her a story."

"I'll give her two tomorrow," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Regina then found herself pressed against the cool but damp tiles as Robin gently held her arms over her head. He smirked at her. "Now, no more talk of children. It's just you, me and the shower."

She grinned, feeling a thrill course through her until it reached her core. Heat flooded through her that she couldn't blame on the water temperature. "What are your plans for me?"

"I plan on washing you up and then taking you to bed for a little fun before we fall asleep," he whispered, kissing the side of her head.

She smiled against his skin, kissing his shoulder. "That sounds perfect."

"Good." He gently pushed her away from him and smiled at her. "Just stay right there. I'll handle everything."

Regina chuckled, amused as he squirted some of her shampoo into his hands. He worked up a good lather and began washing her hair, massaging her scalp as he did so. She closed her eyes, almost purring as his fingers brushed against her scalp. It made him chuckle as he whispered: "Do you like that?"

"Yes," she moaned. "I should let you do this more."

"I would gladly do that for you," he replied, tilting her head back so he could wash all the suds out. "I am always happy to pamper you."

She hummed in response as he guided her head back up, kissing her forehead. Regina felt him reach past her. "I'm going to soap you up, sweetheart. Try not to fall asleep on me."

"No promises," she replied, hearing how faint her voice was as she fought to keep her eyes open. She felt the soft material of her loofah against her skin as Robin covered her in bath gel. He soaped up her whole body before rinsing her off.

Robin turned off the water and opened up the shower door, sending a cool breeze into the small space. Goosebumps rose on her skin and she hugged herself, trying to keep herself warm. It only lasted a few seconds before he wrapped a warm towel around her, rubbing her dry as he smiled at her. "Almost done."

"Then bed?" she asked.

He chuckled, easily picking her up to carry her bridal-style. "Yes, my love. Then to bed."

"Good," she replied, resting her head on his shoulder. "And you'll hold me as I fall asleep?"

"Well, I have something in mind first but then I will hold you," he promised, setting her down on the bed.

She pushed herself up by her elbows, watching as he closed the door and locked it. Regina frowned. "What are you doing? What if the children need us?"

"They can knock," he replied, tugging at his towel. It fell off and pooled on the floor as he climbed onto the bed. "And I'll unlock it once we're done. Can you lie on your stomach for me, please?"

Regina raised an eyebrow. "What exactly are you planning on doing?"

"I'm going to give you a massage," he told her. "You deserve one after everything you've done this week--working hard, getting Roland's room ready, welcoming him, entertaining Marian, and planning this beach trip. It's time for you to relax."

She grinned, biting her lip. "That does sound nice."

He nodded, motioning with her hand for her to roll over. "So get on your stomach and let me do all the work."

"Okay then," she said, rolling onto her stomach as she let her towel fall away. "Like this?"

Robin hummed and she felt his hand on her ass, squeezing one of her cheeks. She rolled her eyes. "Do you really want to give me a massage or do you just want to ogle my ass?"

"Who said it was an either or situation?" he replied, chuckling.

She shook her head before resting it on a pillow. "Massage or staring, I don't care. I'm probably going to fall asleep anyway."

"Go ahead, lovely," he assured her. "I won't be offended."

Regina hummed, closing her eyes as she felt his hands-on inch up toward her back. He began to massage there, his fingers working through several knots in her muscles as she moaned in a mixture of pain and relief. Her limbs turned to goo from his ministrations and she melted into the mattress.

"That feels so good," she moaned, words almost slurred together from sleep and her cheek being pressed to the pillow.

His hands moved up her back and she could feel the heat rolling off him as his body covered hers. Wetness built between her legs but knew she had no energy to do anything about it. Instead, she just enjoyed having his nude body pressed against hers as his fingers did wonderful things to relieve the tension in her body.

"Are you relaxed?" he asked, warm breath tickling the back of her ear. She hummed and he chuckled. "Can you roll over for me?"

She nodded, doing just as he said. Robin kissed her neck and she moaned, feeling his body pressed against hers. "Is this part of the massage?"

"It is," he whispered, hot hands cupping her breasts as his thumbs toyed with her nipples. "It's called a happy ending."

Her mind was so fuzzy she didn't realize what he had said until he started kissing his way down her body, hands gently opening her legs for him. She opened her eyes, lifting her head to frown as Robin slid between her legs. "You don't have to do that."

Robin paused, grinning at her. "I know I don't have to do that. But I would think by now you would know that I always want to go down on you. Just let me do all the work."

Finding no reason to protest, she laid her head back down and opened her legs even more for him. "Go ahead. Give me my happy ending."

He chuckled, running a finger through her sex. It turned into a groan. "You're already so wet. This is going to be a happy ending for me too, I believe."

"God," she groaned. "You keep talking like that, I won't need much more to have mine."

"Well, we can't have that," he said, getting down to work going down on her.

Robin gave her clit a broad lick and she moaned, closing her eyes as he began to suck on the bundle of nerves. He was a master at pleasuring her now, alternating between licks and sucks with a steady rhythm. Her body grew warmer as it began to tremble, the first waves of pleasure flowing through her.

Her back arched as she reached behind her to grab her pillow. She clutched onto it, anchoring her as he switched from licking to flicking her clit in between sucking it. Her hips began to move with his rhythm and she moaned again, fingers gripping the pillow tighter.

"Oh god, Robin," she moaned, feeling him lapping at her as her juices flowed freely. "So close."

She felt one of his fingers against her entrance, teasing it as she hissed: "Yes..."

He slid the finger into her, curling it just right to brush against her g-spot. She rose up to meet him as he set a steady rhythm with this finger as his tongue kept up its assault on her clit. She was certainly going to have a happy ending.

Robin started pumping two fingers in and out of her. She felt her walls tighten and she gripped the pillow again, knowing what was coming. "Robin..."

His response was a broad lick of her clit. She was done then, falling over the edge as her back arched. Regina shouted his name before shoving her hand in her mouth, not wanting to wake the children. She whimpered around it as he slowed his fingers as he rode out her orgasm, lapping all the juices that flowed from her.

She sighed, letting her hand fall from her mouth as she felt like she melted into the mattress. "Definitely a happy ending."

"Good," he said, pressing a gentle kiss to her inner thigh and then another against one of the stretch marks she still bore from her pregnancy with Regan. He then climbed out of bed and she frowned but had no energy to ask him what he was doing. Instead, she just laid there and waited for him to return.

Regina floated between sleep and consciousness, not sure how long Robin was gone for. But she felt a warm, damp cloth between her legs before soft cotton panties were pulled over her legs. She opened her eyes to find Robin sliding on her pajama shorts, dressing her for bed. "I'm not one of the children," she protested.

"I know," he said, a hint of laughter in his voice. "But I didn't think you'd want to fall asleep naked nor did I want to wake you so you could get changed."

She knew he was right and she had to admit he was being considerate. Still, she held out her hand. "Just give me my shirt. I can put it on myself."

"Okay," he said as she felt him place something soft in her hand. It was her pale blue t-shirt and she slid it over her head, feeling the cool material against her skin.

Robin climbed into bed after unlocking the door, kissing her cheek. "Better?"

She hummed, curling against him as she laid her head on his chest. Part of her thought it was the perfect ending but she knew it was really a perfect beginning. An amazing summer lay in front of them and Regina was going to do everything in her power to enjoy every moment of it with her family.

(Though she wouldn't say no to a few more of Robin's "happy endings").


End file.
